Automatic bailer



Nov. 8, 1960 R. K. Ycu'rlE AUTOMATIC BAILER Filed Dec. 15, 195'7 United States Patent* AUTOMATIC BAILER Robert K. Youtie, Haddon'field; NJ. (3201 PSFS Bldg., 12 S. 12th St., Philadelphia 7, Pa.)

Filed Dec. 13, 1957, Ser. No. 702,670

4 Claims. (Cl. 114-185) This invention'relates generally to. one-way fluidpas- Sage means, and is particularly concerned' with such means as are adapted to automatically pass fluid-only in One direction and under certainl conditions.

While the present invention has been primarily developed and employed for use as a bilge water outlet through the hull of a boat, and Will be illustrated and described hereinafter with particular reference'thereto, it is'appreciated thatthe device is capable of many varied applications, all of which are intended to be comprehended herein.

It is therefore one objectof the present invention to provide an automatically operable closure for| an automatic bailer' adapted to extend through the side or trans'om of a boat hull.

It is a further object of the-present invention to 'provide a one-way fluid valve which overcomes the above-mentioned diificulties, and is adapted for use onthe outlet of a bilge pump at a relatively low location to minimize the necessary pumping capacity.

It is still another object of the present invention to lprovide a one-way valve of the type described which is extremely simple in construction and operation, durable and trouble free in use, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and which can be quickly and easily installed without the exercise of greater than average skill or care.

Other objects of the present invention will becomev apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope will be in-` dicated by the appended clairns.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a longitudinal sectional elevational view showing a fluid-outlet device constructed in accordance With the present invention, and illustratng the device as installed' in the'hull of a boat;

Fgure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view similar to Figure 1, somewhat enlarged, the device being illustrated in closed condition in solid lines, and in open condition in phantom;

Figure 3 is an enlarged, transverse sectional view taken substantially along the line 3'-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is an exploded, perspective view showing the elements of the device of Figure 2, partly broken away for clarity of understanding.

Referrng now more particularly to the drawings, and specifically to Figure 1 thereof, a boat hull is generally designated 10, and includes a side wall 11, bottom wall 12, and transom or rear wall 13. An outlet device of the present invention is generally designated 15, and illustrated as installed in the transom 13. Exteriorly of the hull is illustrated the water 14; and, the outlet device 2,959,l44 Patented Nov. 8,,1960.

*ice

' orl valvelS' maybe installed below the water'surface, or

waterline of' the-boat, as shown.

The outlet device or valve 15 may be formed offthree parts, as illustrated, or' designed otherwise; if` desired; The'three parts are best seen in, Figure 5 as including an open-ended tubular housing or sheath 17, an insert 18 adapted' to' be'receivedin the housing, and a valve 'member' or closure `19 adapted to be received in the insert: Thel tube or sheath 17 vmay be of generally cylindrical configuration, and may be provided on its inner end with an outstanding, peripheral flange 20;

The insert 18 has a generally cylindrical external configuration and is` of' a size for snug reception longitudinally within the-housing* 17. Of course, if the sheath 17 is of other thanicylindrical configuration, the insert 18 may be` confi'gured for'snug conforming engagement in the sheath. The insert 18V includes an innerportion 21 which defines a' constriction or port'element'in the sheath 17.' That is, the port' element` or constriction 21, formed of theinner part of insert 18, is of externally cylindrical configurationfor snug engagement in' the housing 17, and isH provided with an opening, bore; or passageway 23 extending'longitudinally'inward from the' inner end 24 of the insert 18 and terminating medially thereof. Further, the bore'23 may have its inner-end portion, that is the portion 25 adjacent to the inside of the hull 10, of a flaring or increasing dimension toward the inner end 24 of theinsert;

The outer-'end portion 27 of the insert 18 defines a retainer for the valve closure 19, as will appear more fully hereinafter, and' is also of generally cylindrical external configuration, but'provided With one'orV more openings 28 about the periphery of the part, which openings extend longitudinally inward from the insertl outer end 29 and define external, longitudinal grooves in the retainer part`27.

Intermediate the ends of the insert 18, and substantially sub-dividing the insert into its constriction or port element 21 and retainer 27, is a transverse kerf or slot 30. More specifically the kerf or slot 30 extends transversely inward from the underside of insert 18 at an oblique angle with respect to the insert axis, opening laterally outward through the insert, and terminatng in an end wall 31. It will be observed that the opening or slot 30 is inclined rearward or outward, that isit extends upward and rearward or outward, so as to define a rearwardly or outwardly inclined, preferably fiat face 32 on the outer side of the port element or constriction 21. Stated otherwise, the outer side or face 32 of the port element or constriction 21 faces outward and downward, so as to face at least partially downward, and intersects at its uppermost region with the top or end wall 31 of the opening 30. The face 32 is preferably flat for conforrnng engagement with the closure or valve element 19, as will appear presently.' The upper' or end wall 31 of the opening 30 preferably inclines forwardly or inwardly to its intersection with the face 32.' The wall or surface 33, which defines the inner end or face of the retainer 27, also preferably inclines rearward or outward, intersecting at its yupper end with the end surface 31, andV may be parallel or at an angle withV respect to the face 32'. Obviously, theV port element or constriction 21 is thus spaced from the retainer 27 by the slot or opening 30; and, the port element and retainer are spaced from` each other a. distance greater than the thickness of the closure element 19, as will appear presently.

It will now be understood that the interior passageway or port 23 of the constriction or port element 21 opens through the inclined face 32 to the opening or open space 30, which in turn communicates through the retainer openings or grooves 28 to open through the outerend sur-face 29. Thus, with the insert 18 snugly received in the housing 17, there is fluid communication afiorded through the housing. In the assembled condition with the insert 18 received in the housing 17, as best seen in Figure 2, the valve member or closure 19 is loosely disposed in the space or opening 30. The closure 19 is illustrated as being a generally flat disc, which is preferred, but its configuration may bevaried without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 'Ihe closure 19 is advantageously fabricated of a buoyant material adapted to float in water, and also preferably of material having a slight flexibility or resilient yieldability. For this purpose, polyethylene plastic has been found satisfactory. In Figure 2 it will be observed that the closure 19 is of a thickness less than the width of the slot or opening 30, as defined between the faces 32 and 33, and from Figures 3 and 4 that the closure disc 19 is of a diameter smaller than the depth or height of the slot 30. Thus, the closure member 19 is loosely received in the opening 30 and freely movable therein between a position in facing engagement with the surface 32, the solid-lineposition of Figure 2,A and a position out of facing engagement with or away from said face. Further, in Figure 3 it may be observed that the closure member 19 is 'of a size and shape such as to completely close the passageway 23 When in facing engagement with the face 32, and also of a size and shape such as to leave open the retainer openings 28 when the closure is moved outward against the retainer. Thus, the closure 19 is configured so as to close the port element or 'constriction 21 to the movement of fiuid inward therethrough when the closure element engages with the outer side or face 32 of the constriction, and also is configured so as not to close the retainer openings closure element loosely interposed between said constric- 28 when the closure is moved against the retainer out of its closing relation with respect to the constriction.

In practice, the outlet device 15 may be installed in the transom 13, or may also be installed in the bottom Wall 12 or side walls 11, if desired. However, for use as an automatic bailer, transom installation is preferred, while use as a bilge-pump outlet may dictate otherwise. In the installation of Figure l, the water 14 exteriorly of the hull 10 fiows into the outlet device 15 through the retainer openings 28 and into the opening 30*l This fioats the buoyant valve element 19 to its highest possible position in the opening 30, in which position the valve element is in sealing engagement with the port-element `face 32. Thus, the port element 21 is automatically sealed or closed by the tendency vof water to pass inward through the o'utlet device. However, upon forward movement of the hull 10, a suction would be produced -rear- Ward of the o-utlet 'device to move the closure 19 to its dot-and-dash-out'line position of Figure 2, and if water is contained in the hull it will then pass outward through the port passageway 23, opening 341, and retainer openings 28, to effect automatic draining or bailin-g.

Although the device, as 'described hereinbefore, has been found entirely satisfactory in preventing the entry of water into the hull, even during long periods of nonuse of the boat, it may be desirable under certain circumstances to provide a manually insertable and removable plug in or cap on the outlet device, to posit-ively seal the latter when the boat is not in use.

From the foregoing, it is seen that the present invention provides a one-way valve or fluid outlet for boats which fully accomplishes its intended objects, and is well adapted to meet practical conditions of manufacture, installation, maintenance, and use.

tion and retainer and freely movable between positions in engagement with said constriction and retainer, respectively, said closure element being configured to close said constriction when engaging the latter and not to close the said retainer when in engagement therewith.

2. A one-way valve according to claim 1, said closure element being buoyant to float upward into closing engagement with the adjacent constriction side.

3. A one-way valve for the hull of a boat, said valve comprising an open-ended tubular housing having inner and outer ends and adapted for insertion into a boat hull with its inner and outer ends opening respectively toward the inner and outer sides of said hull, an open constriction in said housing having inner and outer sides respectively adjacent to the inner and outer ends of said housing and having its outer side facing only partially downward, a buoyant generally flat closure loosely received in said housing adjacent to the outer side of said constriction and floatable in said housing into closing engagement with the outer side of said constriction, and an open retainer fixed in said housing outward of said closure and spaced from said constriction suflicently to permit said closure movement away from said constriction to open the latter while retaining said closure in position to float into said closing engagement.

4. A one-Way valve comprising a port element having a through opening terminating at opposite sides of said port element, said port element being adapted for installation with one side facing obliquely downward, a permanently open 'retainer mounted in facing spaced relation with respect to said one side of said port element, a generally flat closure element loosely interposed between said port element and retainer and freely movable between a closed condition bearing against said port element and an open condition spaced from said port element, said closure element being buoyant to float upward into closed condition against said one side of said port element, and a generally downwardly facing abutment wall located between said retainer and said one side of said port element above said opening, said abutment wall being engageable with said closure element to properl position the latter in its closed condition.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 833,093 Stevenson Oct. 9, 1906 931,633 Moore Aug. 17, 1909 2,655,l21 Cuneo Oct. 13, 1953 2,672,124 McCrary Mar. 16, 1954 2,684,077 Shaffer July 20, 1954 2,772,648 De Persia Dec. 4, 1956 

